The invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a strip of laminated material, and the strip so produced, having a three dimensional configuration. The invention is particularly applicable to the formation of wood veneer for furniture making and the like, as for also structural molding strips provided on such furniture.
In the art, conventionally veneer strips are formed by forming flat blankets which are cut into strips and jointed, or otherwise acted upon, in order to form the strips into the desired configuration, such as a molding on a piece of furniture. There are prior art proposals to make laminated structures having three dimensional configurations (e.g. see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,027,923 and 3,063,483), however such proposals do not lend themselves to the formation of a wide variety of shapes and configurations of veneer strips, such as are used for molding for pieces of furniture and the like.
According to the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided which facilitate the simple, quick production of strips of laminated material having a wide variety of configurations, and particularly strips useful for wood veneer molding for furniture. The strips of laminated material produced according to the present invention have first and second generally perpendicular portions, and a third portion generally perpendicular to both the first and second portions. The term "generally perpendicular" as used in the present specification and claims means that the portions are approximately perpendicular, although there is no requirement that they be exactly perpendicular, and in fact they may have a wide variety of configurations, depending upon ultimate use.
According to the method of the present invention, a strip of laminated material, such as a wood veneer strip, is produced by practicing the following steps: A plurality of similarly shaped strips of material are placed together, with adhesive, to form a linear laminate. Before curing of the adhesive, the linear laminate is bent to form a first portion, a second portion generally perpendicular to the first portion, and a third portion generally perpendicular to both the first and second portions. The laminate is held in the bent position during curing thereof, and after curing the laminate is released, providing a final strip of laminated material with first, second, and third mutually generally perpendicular portions. The strip of laminated material so produced may be fitted to a piece of furniture, providing decorative molding defining an edge of the piece of furniture. In this way a wide variety of configurations of laminated strips can be produced, minimizing the number of individual strips that must be joined together to form the complete molding, and maximizing the number of practical shapes the molding may assume. Total production time for producing a given final object can thus be substantially reduced.
The apparatus for practicing the invention comprises a first roller rotatable about a first axis and a second roller rotatable about a second axis, the second axis being distinctly non-parallel with the first axis. A female die surface extends continuously from the first roller to the second roller. A flexible band of substantially non-deformable material has a length greater than the length of the female die surface extending between the rollers, and means are provided for attaching the ends of the flexible band to the rollers. Means are provided for rotating the rollers about their axes of rotation with the band held thereby to tension the band and cause the band to closely conform to the shape of the female die surface. A male die member is placed over portions of the band, and a loading is applied thereto, in order to provide a force acting upon a central portion of the strips to hold them into contact with the female die surface. The strips to be formed into the strip of laminated material are placed between the female die surface and the band, the band applying a substantial pressure forcing portions of the strip exterior of the male die to conform to the shape of the female die surface. The first and second axes are preferably stationary with respect to each other.
A strip of wood veneer produced according to the present invention includes first, second, and third mutually generally perpendicular portions, the strip being integral and having curved portions interconnecting the various perpendicular portions. Any number of additional further generally mutually perpendicular portions may be provided depending upon the desired ultimate shape and use of the formed strip.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective method and apparatus for forming a wide variety of three dimensional strips of laminated material, such as wood veneer. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.